Who hasn't heard of the chef Jean Darroze? An emblematic figure of Landes gastronomy, this south-western chef has passed on his passion for cooking, fine wine, and local spirits to his son Francis Darroze. The latter quickly developed a sophisticated palate and, from the 1950s, began searching for lesser well-known Armagnacs. This project went so well that, in the 1970s, he had a cellar dedicated to ageing built. Next in line was his son, Marc, who continued this tradition of seeking liquid gold – this collection is now available at iDealwine.

This Armagnac is intensely gold, even amber, in colour. Its aromatic bouquet charms with the intensity of its candied fruit, grilled and pastry notes. Persistent, it makes for some surprising pairings as well as a beautiful moment of reflection to savour on its own at the end of a meal.